How to keep ducks safe and well

45. Although ducks can live outside by themselves, they will live much better if they have a shelter.

Ducks can live outside by themselves

46. The main reason for building a shelter for your ducks is to keep them safe from enemies at night when they are sleeping.

A simple duck shelter

47. Ducks, especially young ducks, have many enemies. You must be careful to protect them from

· dogs, cats, foxes
· rats, snakes
· meat- eating birds
· thieves

Duck enemies

8. There are also other reasons for building a shelter. Here are a few.

49. Ducks sleep on the ground. If the ground is cold or wet or dirty, they may get sick.

Ducks sleep on the ground

50. If you build them a shelter, you can keep it dry and clean so your ducks will not get sick.

51. Strong sunlight is bad for ducks. They need protection from the sun in very hot weather.

Strong sunlight is bad for ducks

52. If you build a shelter for your ducks, they can go inside when it is very hot.

53. Ducks lay eggs mostly at night or early in the morning.

Ducks lay eggs at night

54. If you build a shelter with nests and keep your ducks inside at night, you will be able to collect the eggs more easily.

55. You will learn how to build several simple duck shelters in the next section of this booklet.